Simplicity in All

Sometimes you find that one soul who shows you a piece of yourself you did not know was even there. This person can come in for a moment but the impact can last a lifetime. At times their entrance into your life needs no words, just a glance, a gesture, or a slight touch. Just having them come into your existence is enough to make you realize what happiness really is inside. Life is all about the simplicities and the grace of our unions.

I can recall moments of people who have appeared as angels into my space when I wasn’t having a good day. This has been in a check-out line, at a red light, on an isle in a store, passing by in a park, trekking up a mountain hike, or just entering our place to look at the pond. The energy in their eyes or in their silence has spoken volumes. These lapses in time make me aware of our interconnection with each other. We are all small threads weaving in and out of a giant quilt. We are all different colors, textures, and composition. Each interweaving in the fabric allows a degree of separation, but we are all connected by the giant cloth of Divinity.

I was at a store in Downtown Asheville this morning. I needed to get down from the mountain, be with civilization, get my Starbucks chai latte, and buy some candles (which is one of my favorite vices). While in the isle an older woman walked by, saw the array of colors and smells in the cart, looked up at me and gave me the biggest smile, while raising her eyebrows. I had ten different sizes and colors lined up by smells. In that moment we laughed when she exchanged a look like, “Girl, are you expecting a power outage?” In our silence, with huge smiles, we had a connection. She went on to another isle. I continued my smelling routine of checking every autumn candle on sale. As I was paying I saw she went back to the candles and picked some of the same ones that I got. It took one moment, a few seconds, to see how happy those fragrant candles made me. I am always giddy when I get anything with comforting smells for the house. Happiness is contagious. Her presence filled me with joy, and I hope that in my excitement she also filled with the indulgence of delight.

We tend to constantly hold our breaths when we are running around doing errands. Unfortunately, we are so involved in our own minds that we forget to notice the existence of another in our realm. With technology at our fingertips we tend to interact with the gadgets easier than with a live person. It is impossible to know when that one angel or person will enter our space. I bet that if you think back you can truly remember many times when a child smiled at you from a shopping cart at a store. Their laughter was so contagious that you found yourself laughing back. And, those seconds are precious. They are magical. Whether it is from a handsome man, an elderly woman, or a child, the energy exchanged is God-like at its simplest form. Never take these moments of sheer joy for granted. They remind us that life is sweet, kind, and beautiful. Just like my candles, let the simplicity light up your day.